Scottish Executive

Aggregates Tax

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in view of its responsibility for economic development, what estimate it has made of any increase in the volume of quarrying by-products, such as dust, which will be unsaleable in circumstances where such by-products are replaced in construction projects with other materials which are not subject to the aggregates tax and what the consequent loss will be to Scotland's gross domestic product.

Allan Wilson: No such estimate has been made. The taxation of quarry wastes is currently being reviewed by Her Majesty's Treasury.

Aggregates Tax

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in view of its responsibility for the environment, what plans it has for the disposal of any increased volume of dust which may be unsaleable at an economic price as a result of the introduction of the aggregates tax.

Allan Wilson: None. The scale of this issue depends on the on-going consideration by Her Majesty's Treasury of the way quarry wastes are taxed.

Aggregates Tax

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage increase it expects in the construction costs of public projects for which it, its agencies and other public bodies are responsible as a result of any rise in the cost of concrete blocks following the introduction of the aggregates tax.

Allan Wilson: Responsibility for assessing the economic impact of taxation matters lies with Her Majesty's Treasury. No specific estimate has been made of the percentage increase in construction costs of public sector projects in Scotland. However, the cost of aggregates is normally a small fraction of overall costs, and the impact of the tax can be minimised by use of recycled materials or alternative building techniques.

Aggregates Tax

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what reduction it anticipates in the number and value of public construction projects for which it, its agencies and other public bodies are responsible as a result of the introduction of the aggregates tax.

Allan Wilson: No detailed estimates have been made, but the Scottish Executive does not anticipate a significant reduction in the number and value of public sector construction projects.

Aggregates Tax

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to mitigate any effects on construction projects for which it, its agencies and other public bodies are responsible of any reduction in the availability of primary aggregates as a result of the introduction of the aggregates tax.

Allan Wilson: None. The Executive expects the supply of primary aggregates to continue to meet demand.

Aggregates Tax

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received from Her Majesty's Government about any impact that the implementation of the aggregates tax will have on projects commissioned by it, its agencies and other public bodies.

Allan Wilson: The Executive has not received any information other than that already in the public domain, namely relevant Budget Reports, the Finance Act 2001 and consultations related to the implementation of the tax. None of these relate specifically to the impact of the tax on public sector projects.

Aggregates Tax

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has responsibility for any aspect of the implementation of the aggregates tax in areas such as (a) weighing of materials extracted from quarries; (b) the measurement of any environmental impact arising from any increased on-site storage of unsaleable dust; (c) any aspect of enforcement, and (d) any other matter related to the implementation of the tax.

Allan Wilson: The Executive has a general responsibility for environmental monitoring, but no specific responsibilities in relation to the aggregates tax.

Boundary Walls

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Professor KGC Reid was a member of the Scottish Law Commission at the time the commission published its Report on Boundary Division Walls in March 1998 and, if so, whether he had been a member for three years and whether paragraph 223 in Volume 18 of the Stair Memorial Encyclopaedia on "Ownership and Maintenance" as published in 1993 was compiled by him while he was a member of the commission.

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there was a team of three Commissioners in operation prior to the publication of the Scottish Law Commission's Report on Boundary Division Walls , which was responsible for property considerations and, if so, for how long this team was in operation and whether Professor KGC Reid was a member of it.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Law Commission is an independent body of legal experts established by the Law Commissions Act 1965. Commissioners are appointed by Scottish ministers; Professor Kenneth Reid was first appointed on a part-time basis in October 1995 and on a full-time basis in January 1999.

  As these questions otherwise raise operational matters, the member may wish to approach the Scottish Law Commission itself.

Boundary Walls

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-15753 by Mr Jim Wallace on 11 July 2001, whether it supports the change of mind by the Scottish Law Commission, as stated at paragraph 1.13 of their Report on Boundary Division Walls ; on what basis this change of mind came about; what reconsideration was given to the commission's consultation paper and the Stair Memorial Encyclopaedia on this issue; what importance can be attached to the change of Commissioners at the commission, and what plans it has to ensure that a clear, consistent and uniform policy on this matter is adopted and maintained.

Mr Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-23641 on 15 March 2002.

Charity Law

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive further to the answer to question S1W-19124 by Mr Jim Wallace on 23 October 2001, when it expects the national advisory forum set up to look at the implementation of the review of charity law to complete its deliberations.

Mr Jim Wallace: No specific date has been set by which the advisory forum has to complete its deliberations. We anticipate that the forum will contribute to the analysis of issues and options for implementation. We will make available to the forum, and will publish more widely, an analysis of the responses to our consultation on the Scottish Charity Law Review Commission’s recommendations.

Children

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what lessons have been learned from the appointment by the National Assembly of Wales of a Children’s Commissioner in relation to the establishment of such a post in Scotland.

Cathy Jamieson: We are currently considering our response to the Education, Culture and Sport Committee’s Report on their inquiry into the need for a Children’s Commissioner in Scotland, which was published on 14 February. The arrangements for establishing a Children’s Commissioner in Wales formed part of the committee’s considerations in preparing their report.

Children

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to comments made by the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice to the Justice 1 Committee and Justice 2 Committee joint meeting on 19 September 2001 ( Official Report , Col. 117), whether it plans to introduce measurement of the existing incidence of physical chastisement of children.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Executive has commissioned research from an independent contractor into the current incidence of physical punishment of children by their parents. This will serve as a base line against which to measure the effect of our proposed legislation. A report is expected during the autumn.

Consultation Exercises

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation exercises are currently under way; what consultation exercises remain to be launched during 2002, and what plans it has to publish policy proposals and vision and strategy papers between 31 December 2002 and 1 May 2003.

Mr Andy Kerr: Details of current consultation exercises can be found on the Scottish Executive website. Decisions about the publication of further consultations and policy documents are taken by ministers on an on-going basis.

Cremation

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-2903 by Susan Deacon on 8 February 2001, whether it is acceptable that form E1 issued by a Procurator Fiscal in relation to the disposal of mortal remains by cremation should contain no specific cause of death.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Cremation (Scotland) Regulations 1935 provide that, when applicable, the Procurator Fiscal should complete form E1. This form requires that cause of death should be given.

Crime

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to (a) reduce crime and (b) improve the safety of communities in (i) West Renfrewshire and (ii) Inverclyde.

Dr Richard Simpson: This is primarily a matter for Strathclyde Police who work in partnership with other local bodies to reduce crime.

  However, the Scottish Executive has lent support to partnership working by providing £250,000 for CCTV in Port Glasgow under the "Make our Communities Safer CCTV Challenge Competition".

  Last October we also announced details of a new community safety award programme, which will give all council-led Community Safety Partnerships a share of £12 million over the next three years for local community safety initiatives. This award is made up of two elements, a formulated award based on population share and crimes per head of population and a variable award based on progress and quality of partnerships’ community safety strategies and action plans. We announced the formulated awards last October. Inverclyde will receive £259,073, and Renfrewshire will receive £362,215 over the next three years. The variable award for 2002-03 was announced on 15 March and Inverclyde and Renfrewshire will both receive a further £26,783.

Criminal Records

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive who the legally responsible employer is of the four fingerprint experts currently under suspension from the Scottish Criminal Record Office following investigations into the Shirley McKie case.

Mr Jim Wallace: Civilian staff employed by the Scottish Criminal Record Office are employees of Strathclyde Joint Police Board and are subject to their terms and conditions of employment.

Crown Estates

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has in respect of Crown Estates property and whether it will seek additional powers from Her Majesty’s Government, with particular regard to fish farms.

Allan Wilson: The Executive has no powers in respect of Crown Estates property, and has no intention of seeking any.

Dental Health

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources (a) were allocated in 2001-02 and (b) will be allocated in 2002-03 to the Caries Prevention Scheme for oral health for children aged six to 10.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The caries prevention scheme is open to all registered six- and seven-year-olds in Scotland. In the period April 2001 to January 2002 payments under the scheme amounted to £1.15 million; and it estimated that a further £250,000 will be paid in the remainder of the financial year. In the financial year 2002-03, the scheme is expected to cost around £1.5 million. The financial resources for the scheme are allocated through the General Dental Services budget.

Elections

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that no vision and strategy papers and detailed and outline policy proposals on devolved topics will be issued between 31 December 2002 and 1 May 2003 except in circumstances where any such documents have been fully agreed by all parties represented in the Parliament.

Mr Jack McConnell: No. However, detailed guidance on the role and conduct of Scottish Executive civil servants during the 2003 Scottish parliamentary elections, will be issued to Scottish Executive staff when the Parliament is dissolved. That guidance will be published.

Elections

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements it is making to ensure that government resources are not used for party political purposes in the run up to the May 2003 Scottish Parliament elections.

Mr Jack McConnell: Government resources should never be used for party political purposes and detailed guidance on the role and conduct of Scottish Executive civil servants during the Scottish Parliament election campaign will be issued to Scottish Executive staff when the Parliament is dissolved. The guidance will be published.

Enterprise

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the European Charter for Small Enterprises will improve attitudes towards starting a business, given that in the household survey by the Department of Trade and Industry 33% of people hoping to start a business thought they would achieve their goal.

Ms Wendy Alexander: In its recent report on the implementation of the charter, the European Commission recognised the charter as a pillar of the Commission's enterprise policy and the cornerstone of the policy of the member states. The Commission report revealed that real progress was being made in a number of areas, including the costs and time required in setting up a new business and that the UK was one of the leaders in this area. This should positively influence attitudes to starting up in business.

  The household survey in question was conducted under the auspices of the Department of Trade and Industry’s Small Business Service and relates to England only.

Enterprise

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Phoenix Fund is available in Scotland.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Phoenix Fund comprises a number of strands, only one of which is available in Scotland. The loan guarantees element, to help co-finance commercial lending to Community Finance Initiatives, is applicable across the UK. Organisations based in Scotland are free to submit bids for this strand of funding on the same basis as any other UK Community Finance Initiatives.

Enterprise

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Business Link Network is operational in disadvantaged communities.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive has no functions in relation to the Business Link Network, which falls under the auspices of the Department of Trade and Industry’s Small Business Service and operates in England only.

Environment

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what success there has been in reducing pollution levels of sewage, rubbish and other sources in the River Clyde and what plans there are to further improve water quality.

Ross Finnie: The Clyde has been improving year on year since the 1970s, in terms of the chemical and biological indicators in the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (SEPA) classification schemes. Migratory salmon now regularly return to the Cart, Kelvin and Clyde systems.

  Improvements to combined sewer overflows, and sewage treatment work upgrades throughout the Clyde and its tributaries, aim at continuing this improvement.

  The SEPA has published an interactive CD-ROM, called West Region Water Quality Review, which gives information about water quality, river flows, monitoring activities and environmental initiatives. It is available from the agency’s Corporate Office at Erskine Court, The Castle Business Park, Stirling, FK9 4TR or by contacting:

  watercd@sepa.org.uk.

Environment

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13597 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 15 March 2001, whether it will detail what improvements have been or will be undertaken by West of Scotland Water, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency or other agencies to minimise combined sewer overflows and upgrade sewage treatment works throughout the River Clyde and its tributaries.

Ross Finnie: West of Scotland Water Authority schemes completed since 1996 which will have improved water quality in the River Clyde are as follows:

  Allers Sewage Treatment Works (STW) Outfall Sewer

  Daldowie STW Phases III and IV

  Helensburgh STW Secondary Treatment

  Ardoch STW Secondary Treatment

  Dalmuir STW (PFI)

  at a total cost of over £95 million.

  Schemes in the current investment plan 2002-06 that will improve or maintain water quality are as follows:

  Bothwellbank STW Upgrading

  Allers STW

  Carbarns STW

  Helensburgh Sewerage Scheme

  Various Combined Sewer Overflow Improvements (2002-06) with further work between 2006-10

  together with capital maintenance at:

  Shieldhall STW

  Dalmarnock STW

  Daldowie STW

  Hamilton STW

  at a total cost of some £30 million.

  The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) continuously monitors river and estuary water quality and regulates the performance of discharges into watercourses. Since the 1970s, the River Clyde has been improving year on year, in terms of chemical and biological indicators in the SEPA water quality classification schemes. Migratory salmon now regularly return to the Clyde, Cart and Kelvin systems.

  The multi-million pound programme of improvements, described previously, to CSOs will ensure that this improvement continues, and SEPA is confident of continued improvements in water quality.

Firearms

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many licensed firearms were recorded in (a) Scotland and (b) Glasgow in each year since 1999.

Mr Jim Wallace: The following table gives the number of firearms covered by certificates in Scotland and in Strathclyde on issue at 31 December 1999 and 31 December 2000. Figures for 2001 will not be published until autumn 2002. The information held is not broken down below force level.

  


Firearms on certificate 
  
 

1999 
  

2000 
  



Scotland 
  

Possessed 
  

62,421 
  

58,862 
  



Authorised to be purchased/acquired 
  

11,272 
  

9,934 
  



Total 
  

73,693 
  

68,796 
  



Strathclyde 
  

Possessed 
  

11,314 
  

10,857 
  



Authorised to be purchased/acquired 
  

1,937 
  

1,513 
  



Total 
  

13,251 
  

12,370 
  



  Note: The recorded totals in the table, may include an element of double counting in that two or more individuals may each hold a certificate that allows them to possess the same firearm.

Firearms

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been admitted to hospitals in (a) Scotland and (b) Glasgow as a result of firearm related incidents in each year since 1999.

Malcolm Chisholm: The number of patients admitted to hospital in each of the last three years with a diagnosis related to a firearms 1 incident are shown in the table

  

 

Year ending 31 Dec: 
  



Treated in: 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  

2001P




NHS Glasgow 
  

30 
  

36 
  

42 
  



NHS Scotland 
  

140 
  

138 
  

136 
  



  P Provisional.

  Notes:

  1. includes incidents involving handguns, rifles, air guns and unspecified.

Firearms

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been (a) charged with and (b) convicted of firearm related offences in each year since 1999.

Mr Jim Wallace: The available information is given in the table. Other crime categories, such as possession of an offensive weapon and robbery, may also involve firearms. However, the numbers of such cases cannot, from the information held centrally, be separately identified from the total numbers of prosecutions and convictions for these crime categories. Data for the year 2001 are not yet available.

  Persons proceeded against in Scottish courts for specified firearms offences, 1999-2000

  


Main crime and result 
  

Year 
  



1999 
  

2000 
  



Possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life or 
  commit crime 
  



Persons proceeded against 
  

19 
  

20 
  



Of which had a charge proved 
  

12 
  

12 
  



Reckless conduct with firearms 
  



Persons proceeded against 
  

56 
  

50 
  



Of which had a charge proved 
  

39 
  

42 
  



Miscellaneous firearm offences1




Persons proceeded against 
  

213 
  

161 
  



Of which had a charge proved 
  

170 
  

143 
  



Total 
  



Persons proceeded against 
  

288 
  

231 
  



Of which had a charge proved 
  

221 
  

197 
  



  Note:

  1. Includes other offences under the Firearms Act 1968 (as amended) and section 50(5) of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982.

Firearms

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many illegal firearms have been seized in each year since 1999, broken down by police force area.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information requested is not held centrally.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are currently diagnosed with HIV and how many people have been diagnosed with HIV in each of the last five years.

Malcolm Chisholm: The cumulative total of HIV-antibody positive persons reported to the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health, to 31 December 2001, is 3,349. Of these, 1,278 are known to have died.

  The corresponding data for each of the last five years are set out in the following table:

  


1997 
  

182 
  



1998 
  

168 
  



1999 
  

156 
  



2000 
  

154 
  



2001 
  

173

Higher Education

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the number of research post-graduates is sufficient for the future enhancement of research, given that 4% of current students are pursuing a research post-graduate course.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The number of students undertaking post-graduate research in Scottish higher education institutions has increased in recent years. A key objective of our Science Strategy is to ensure that enough people study science to a standard which will enable the future needs of the country to be met. Currently, the Executive is participating in the Robert's Review of the Supply of Skilled Scientists and Engineers in the UK, the findings of which will be published shortly. Interim findings for the review were published last November. These suggest that the greater participation rates in higher and further education in Scotland have benefited the supply of scientists and engineers.

Hospitals

Kay Ullrich (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address local concerns in relation to the continued suitability of Arran War Memorial Hospital to adequately serve the needs of the island; whether there are any plans to provide the Isle of Arran with a new hospital, and whether any consideration has been given to the availability of land for any such development.

Malcolm Chisholm: This is a matter for Ayrshire and Arran Primary Care NHS Trust, which is responsible for providing health services on Arran.

  I understand that NHS Ayrshire and Arran are in the process of developing a long-term property strategy. I have been assured that the people of Arran will be consulted throughout this process.

  Subject to that strategy, the primary care trust is committed to maintaining its existing premises on the island and ensuring that they provide an adequate and safe environment for patients and staff.

Housing

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information has been sent to the residents on the Anderston estate in Glasgow to advise them of the transfer of their houses from Scottish Homes to Communities Scotland.

Iain Gray: None of Scottish Homes houses at any time transferred to Communities Scotland. All Scottish Homes tenants were supplied with a newsletter in September 2001, which explained the future for Scottish Homes and its remaining tenants. A copy of the newsletter has been put in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Housing

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the statement that it "is committed to the transfer of council housing to community ownership, both in Glasgow and throughout Scotland" in the October 2001 issue of The Key - Special Edition for Home Owners , whether the proposed transfer of housing stock in Glasgow is the blueprint for the future of public housing throughout Scotland.

Ms Margaret Curran: Transfers of council housing to community ownership offer substantial benefits to tenants, councils and communities. It is for councils and tenants to decide whether to pursue housing stock transfer.

Housing

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the ballot on the Glasgow housing stock transfer will be under way before the second stage consultation is completed and what measures it will take should any new information emerge from the consultation process after tenants have returned ballot papers.

Ms Margaret Curran: The ballot will be under way before the second stage consultation is completed. Any representations received from tenants will be taken into account by Scottish ministers when the application for formal consent to transfer is received.

Housing

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will finance training in order to address vacancies arising from construction industry shortages following the transfer of Glasgow City Council’s housing stock, in light of research commissioned by the council, Scottish Enterprise Glasgow and Communities Scotland forecasting approximately 6,500 such vacancies.

Ms Margaret Curran: Skills training for construction will be funded through Scottish Enterprise working in partnership with employers, local authorities and colleges. Various training programmes will be involved including, Modern Apprenticeships, Skillseekers, Training for Work and the New Deal.

Housing

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has provided in (a) grants, subsidies or any other non-repayable finance and (b) loans or any other repayable finance in respect of the transfer of Glasgow City Council housing stock.

Ms Margaret Curran: To date a total of almost £20 million has been made available to the Glasgow Housing Association and Glasgow City Council, for costs in respect of the Glasgow housing transfer.

Housing

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the forthcoming ballot on the transfer of Glasgow City Council’s housing stock will include an option for tenants to indicate positively a wish to remain tenants of the council as an alternative to simply voting against the transfer.

Ms Margaret Curran: No. The content of the ballot paper is a matter for Glasgow City Council.

Housing

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, if tenants choose to vote against stock transfer in the forthcoming ballot, what action the Executive proposes to take to facilitate a step change in investment in Glasgow’s housing.

Ms Margaret Curran: Should tenants vote against the proposed housing transfer, the stock will be retained by Glasgow City Council. In these circumstances the council would continue to receive their share of existing Housing Revenue Account resources.

Justice

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated number is of summary criminal cases now unable to proceed as a result of the decision in Shaun George Reynolds v Procurator Fiscal , Linlithgow on 14 February 2002, broken down by sheriffdom.

Mrs Elish Angiolini QC: It is not possible to provide any reliable estimate because there are several possible permutations of circumstances and the outcome in each case will depend on the precise circumstances applicable in the individual case. Even if an existing complaint cannot proceed it will be possible in many cases to re-commence a prosecution so that the case itself will not be lost. What can be said with certainty is that in Scotland as a whole, as at 21 February, 18 cases had been identified as completely unable to proceed.

Justice

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) sheriff courts and (b) High Courts have now installed CCTV systems for use with vulnerable witnesses.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Court Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The four largest courts have a CCTV system permanently installed. All others have access to mobile systems which can be deployed to the courts as required. The information is given in the following table.

  


Name of Court/ Sheriffdom 
  

CCTV System Installed 
  

No. of Mobile CCTV Systems available 
  



Glasgow Sheriff Court 
  

1 
  
 



Edinburgh Sheriff Court 
  

1 
  
 



Lothian and Borders 
  
 

1 
  



Grampian Highlands and Islands 
  
 

2 
  



Tayside Central and Fife 
  
 

2 
  



South Strathclyde Dumfries and Galloway 
  
 

2 
  



North Strathclyde 
  
 

2 
  



High Court, Lawnmarket Edinburgh 
  

1 
  
 



High Court, Saltmarket Glasgow 
  

1

Justice

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions have taken place with the Scottish Law Commission and other interested parties concerning the legal definition and interpretation of the term "vulnerable witness".

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Law Commission last considered the definition of a vulnerable witness in its Report No. 125 of 1990. Since then, work on this issue has been taken forward by the Scottish Executive through the Towards a Just Conclusion Action Plan, published in June 2000. A number of discussions have taken place with relevant voluntary organisations. A consultation paper including a section on this topic is scheduled for publication this spring.

Justice

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions have taken place with the Scottish Law Commission and other interested parties concerning the future of trial by jury.

Mr Jim Wallace: We have had no discussions with any organisation recently about the future of trial by jury generally.

National Parks

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action, in addition to the creation of the national park, is being taken to conserve and enhance Loch Lomond and its surroundings.

Allan Wilson: The information requested is not held centrally. I am aware, however, of a number of initiatives, including the Loch Lomond Catchment Plan, being progressed by Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Environment Protection Agency and others; the Millennium Forest for Scotland Project; and the Ben Lomond National Memorial Park Project, being undertaken by Forest Enterprise in Partnership with the National Trust for Scotland and the Scottish Executive.

  The Loch Lomond and The Trossachs Interim Committee also continues to undertake a programme of work aimed at providing a properly managed infrastructure for visitors.

Nursing

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will undertake a review of the recommendations set out in The Account Commission for Scotland’s report Temporary Measures – Managing Bank and Agency Nursing Staff .

Malcolm Chisholm: Audit Scotland has advised that they are currently carrying out a review of ward based nursing in NHSScotland and this report is due out this autumn. The report will include a follow up on trusts’ implementation of the main recommendations in Temporary Measures – Managing Bank and Agency Nursing Staff .

  In addition, as part of its work, the Facing the Future Group will be looking at improving the data on the nursing workforce in its widest sense.

Planning

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications have been referred to Scottish ministers since May 1999, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

Ms Margaret Curran: Planning applications, notified to the Scottish ministers, are recorded by planning authority area. Since 1 May 1999, 830 have been referred, but it is not possible to accurately identify these by parliamentary constituency. This is because the information on the planning application form is not always sufficiently precise to do so.

Planning

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications were referred to Scottish ministers in each month since May 1999.

Ms Margaret Curran: The number of planning applications referred to the Scottish ministers since 1 May 1999 totals 830. A breakdown by monthly receipt is given in the following table:

  Cases Notified to the Scottish Ministers since May 1999:

  

 

1999 
  

2000 
  

2001 
  

2002 
  



January 
  

- 
  

15 
  

19 
  

12 
  



February 
  

- 
  

34 
  

28 
  

25 
  



March 
  

- 
  

25 
  

27 
  

- 
  



April 
  

- 
  

31 
  

32 
  

- 
  



May 
  

8 
  

34 
  

25 
  

- 
  



June 
  

22 
  

35 
  

25 
  

- 
  



July 
  

26 
  

40 
  

18 
  

- 
  



August 
  

25 
  

22 
  

19 
  

- 
  



September 
  

25 
  

24 
  

17 
  

- 
  



October 
  

29 
  

22 
  

23 
  

- 
  



November 
  

16 
  

20 
  

19 
  

- 
  



December 
  

25 
  

31 
  

32 
  

- 
  



Total 
  

176 
  

333 
  

284 
  

37

Postal Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it (a) has made or (b) will make any representations to the Postal Services Commission as part of the current consultation on the commission’s market opening proposals in respect of the impact of the proposals on (i) social inclusion, (ii) rural areas and (iii) urban deprived areas.

Allan Wilson: Consignia, post offices and postal services are reserved matters. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Postal Services Commission on a range of issues, including its most recent consultation.

Pre-School Education

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3316 by Peter Peacock on 7 February 2000, what the current (a) allocation per nursery place is to local authorities and (b) minimum recommended payment to the provider is.

Cathy Jamieson: In the current session, 2001-02, local authorities receive funding at the rate of £1,254 for a fully loaded part-time pre-school education place. They are free to top slice this level to meet the costs of services provided to their partner providers. The minimum recommended level for the purchase of places in the voluntary and private sector is £900.

Public Appointments

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans have been adopted to publish new appointments made to health boards and trusts.

Malcolm Chisholm: All non-executive appointments to NHS boards, Special Health Boards and NHS trusts are announced by the Scottish Executive in the form of news releases. The latest, dated 11 January 2002, is to be found on the Scottish Executive’s website at the following address:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/pages/news/2002/01/SE5143.aspx

  Additionally, details of current ministerial appointments to all Scottish public bodies are published on the Scottish Executive Public Appointments website at the following address:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/government/publicappoint/publicbodies.asp.

Public Transport

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have implemented concessionary travel schemes for (a) children aged under 16 years and (b) 16- to 18-year-olds following full-time education courses.

Lewis Macdonald: The latest information we have available indicates that concessionary travel schemes operated by the following local authorities include provision for children under 16 and 16- to 18-year-olds in full-time education:

  


Local Authority 
  

Concessionary travel schemes which include 
  provision for under 16-year-olds 
  



Clackmannanshire Council 
  

14- to 15-year-olds only 
  



Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar 
  

Children under 16 only 
  



Falkirk Council 
  

14- to 15-year-olds only 
  



Midlothian Council 
  

Under 16-year-olds (registered disabled) 
  



Orkney Council 
  

5- to 16-year-olds only 
  



Shetland Islands Council 
  

5- to 16-year-olds only 
  



Strathclyde Passenger Transport* 
  

5- to 15-years-old (if receipt of DLA) 
  



Stirling Council 
  

14- to 15-year-olds only 
  



  Note:

  * The scheme administered by SPT covers the whole of the following local authority areas:

  


Argyll and Bute 
  

North Ayrshire 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

North Lanarkshire 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

Renfrewshire 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

South Ayrshire 
  



City of Glasgow 
  

South Lanarkshire 
  



Inverclyde 
  

West Dunbartonshire 
  



  


Local Authority 
  

Concessionary travel schemes which include provision for 
  16- to 18-year-olds 
  



Fife Council 
  

16 to 18 (in full-time education) 
  



Dundee Council 
  

16 to 18 (in full-time education)

Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional support through personnel, training and other means will be given to police forces to implement the guidelines issued on 26 February 2002 to chief constables on racist crime and, in particular, on the need to assess the language needs of victims and bereaved relatives and to deal appropriately with cultural sensitivities and the religious and cultural needs of bereaved relatives in cases where a death has occurred and to comply with the requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000

Mr Jim Wallace: It is for chief constables to determine how best to adhere to the Lord Advocate’s guidance.

  Whilst the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland continues to provide forces with comprehensive guidance on all national policing issues concerning racial diversity. The Commission for Racial Equality in Scotland are also aiming to publish, for consultation, their draft Statutory Code of Practice and associated guidance for devolved public bodies in Scotland, including police forces, in early May. The code will provide practical guidance to bodies on how to fulfil both their general and specific duties and will be supported by examples of best practice.

Racism

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial resources have been, or will be, allocated to implement the new guidelines on racist crime issued to all chief constables on 26 February 2002.

Mr Jim Wallace: Funding for the police, which is currently at record levels, is allocated in total to each force. It is for police authorities, in consultation with chief constables, to set budgets for individual forces. Once a budget has been agreed, the use of that budget to meet the operational needs of each force is a matter for individual chief constables.

Roads

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make funding available in order to ensure (a) that the Bridgeguard 3 assessment programme will be completed and (b) that any necessary action identified by the assessment programme will be taken.

Lewis Macdonald: On 25 February, I awarded an extra £20 million in grant in financial year 2001-02 to local authorities to speed up assessment and repair work to local roads and bridges. This is in addition to the extra £70 million included in capital allocations between financial year 2001-02 to 2003-04 to tackle the backlog of repairs and maintenance to local roads and bridges.

  It is for local authorities to prioritise the upgrading of any bridges and to allocate the necessary funding from the resources available to them. It is also their responsibility to take forward any action required to complete the Bridgeguard 3 assessment programme and to carry out any necessary work identified by the programme.

School Transport

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions have taken place with bus companies concerning the adoption of pilot travel schemes involving the use of American-style yellow school buses.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive had a meeting with First Group in September last year to discuss the company’s plans to pilot American-style yellow school buses.

Water Authority

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to conserve and enhance the Milngavie reservoirs and their surroundings.

Ross Finnie: I have asked the Chief Executive of West of Scotland Water to respond. His response is as follows:

  The plans for the new Water Treatment Works at Milngavie take into account the need to conserve and enhance the existing reservoirs. For example, no above ground construction is planned, except behind the tree belt around the site at Barrachan. Additional planting is also to be established to reinforce this tree line.

  One of West of Scotland Water’s environmental objectives is to improve public access to its properties, as far as this does not compromise water quality, public safety or essential maintenance activities. Once the new plant is in service, this will take all operational and maintenance activities away from the existing works at the south of the reservoirs, along with personnel access and chemical deliveries. This will remove the conflict between public access and operational requirements, leading to a possible reduction in the existing restrictions on public activities.

  Some further tangible evidence of delivery of the authority’s Environmental Strategy in the Craigmaddie/Mugdock area, include improving path networks and signposting within accessible areas, by December 2002. Suitable locations for bat boxes have also been identified in the locale and will be pursued in due course. When the project is completed, the need for bird scaring on the reservoirs will also be removed.

  The authority and East Dunbartonshire Council have undertaken to discuss the long-term future of public access to Milngavie reservoirs. These future discussions will help formulate how to best meet the needs of the population, with respect to the reservoirs, Mugdock Country Park, access between them, and car parking.

Youth Crime

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how and when the £87 million from the New Opportunities Fund for the promotion of sport in diverting young people from re-offending or preventing their offending, as outlined in Scotland’s Action Programme to Reduce Youth Crime 2002, will be distributed.

Dr Elaine Murray: Under policy directions issued by ministers, the New Opportunities Fund (NOF) has committed £87 million to the PE and Sport in Schools programme, under its third round of initiatives. Up to £21.75 million of this sum is targeted at supporting facilities and programmes designed to promote the role of sport, in diverting young people from criminal activity or behaviours likely to lead to this type of activity. I expect the detailed arrangements for the disbursement of these funds to be announced by NOF shortly.